Democrats at Odds Over Easton Mail Processing Plant

Senator Barbara Mikulski has put a hold on postal reform legislation just as it was to be voted on next week.

The Maryland Democrat complained that there was a lack of transparency and public input into the Postal Service decision to shut down the Easton mail processing plant that employs 127 people.

Her action comes on the heels of an effort by her Democratic colleague Tom Carper to move the operation to Delaware to save the Hare’s Corner postal facility near New Castle.

Both Mikulski and fellow Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin have said they thought the Easton operation would be moved to Baltimore keeping it in the state.

A spokesperson for Carper, who was one of the original sponsors of the bill and chair of the subcommittee which oversees the postal service, said the Delaware Democrat looked forward to working out a way to preserve facilities where they can in these financially challenging times.